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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — a signal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — a position
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com